Game



1,633,887 June 28 1927' ESPITALLIER GAME Filed Sept. 1925 F g. l. 6/ I e l 64 62 6/ ga 6 gwvenhw Patented June 28, 1927.

g 1,633,887 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS ESPITALLIEB, OF JENNINGS, LOUISIANA.

onus;

Application filed September 8, 1985. Serial 110. 54,329.

The present invention relates to games, and more particularly to that type wherein is utilized a game board and a number of pieces for movement over the board under control of certain proscribed rules.

An object of the invention is to provide a game simulating the various moves made in actual warfare, such as the mobilization or concentration of troops; the battle in the open field between the opposing armies trying to exterminate and weaken each other preliminary to an attack upon a designated stronghold; and the attack of the stronghold by the strongest opponent at the termination of the battle in the open field.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ame board with surface s aces and connecting lines so arranged and esignated as to provide a variation in the character of moves of diiferent game pieces to eliminate monotony in the pie 'ng of the game and to present a number 0 different hazzards and obstacles which irregularly occur as the game proceeds, and to provide an arrangement of spaces such that certain fields of the board may be se regated into strongholds to va the rules 0? playing the game pieces in suc segregated sections of the board.

A further object of the invention is to 80 provide contradistinguished game pieces and contradistinguished spaces on the face of the board for cooperation with the game pieces to designate positions and different moves of the game pieces subject to prescribed rules so that the different game pieces may be played differently and at the same time the movements ma cooperate to carry out the general object o the game.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the resent preferred embodiment, the same be- 1ng illustrated in the accompanying drawin%; wherein:

ig. 1 is a face view of a game board constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a number of game pieces for one player, and

Fig. 3 is a similar new of a, number of game pieces differentiated from the group of game pieces illustrated in Fig. 2 and for use by an opponent player.

Referrin to the drawin 60 designates a game boar of any suitab 0 basic construcother.

designated at 61 and 62, the latter being smaller or otherwise suitably contradistinguished from the spaces 61, and the latter may also be given difierent marginal contours to distinguish the same one from the edge rows of spaces 61 and 62 are arranged alternately with the larger spaces 61 at the corners of the board 60, and thesealternate or mixed rows of spaces are alternated both vertically and horizontally with inte osed rows of smaller spaces 62 as shown. E order to further 'contradistinguish the aces 61 and 62, the larger spaces 61 are esignated by the letters A to Z of the al habet, eliminating one of the letters, sue as W as the face of the board is provided with but 25 of these larger spaces 61.

The spaces 61 and 62 are connected together by vertical lines 63 into vertical rows, and into horizontal rows by horizontal lines 64. The spaces 61 and 62 are further connected together by crossed diagonal lines 65 and 66; all of these lines indicating paths or directions of movement of the various game pieces hereinafter described.

' The central horizontal row of spaces, which in the present instance is a mixed row of spaces 61 and 62, may, or may not, be distinguished in color or otherwise from the other s aces, and may have its horizontal connecting lines, 67 broader than the lines 64 and of a suitable distinguishing color.

At each end of the board 60 there is segregated a field 68 which may be formed by a marginal relatively wide and colored boundary ne 69 which takes the place of the horizontal connecting lines-64 in the end and third horizontal rows of the spaces 61 and 62, and which takes the place of the vertical connecting lines 63 between the first and second horizontal rows, and which may also take the place of the diagonal lines 65 and 66 between the second and third rows, according to the present illustration, although the field segregated may be of desired size and form according to the prescribed rules.

The smaller spaces 62 may be designated by the numerals to 56 in order to easily In the arrangement shown the outer distinguish them from the alphabetically designated larger spaces 61.

The game 18 provided. with two sets of game pieces as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each set having a large game piece 70 which may be tall and given suitable configuration, a second game piece 71 slightly smaller than the piece 70 and of different configuration at its top so that the pieces may be readily distinguishable by touch as well as by sight. The sets of game pieces are also provided with two smaller game pieces 73 and 74 which are respectively one smaller than the other and smaller than game piece 71. The sizes of the game pieces are therefore graduated and the same are given distinguishing characteristics of touch so that they may be readily distinguished one from t e other. Both sets of game pieces are of this construction and graduated size and may be distinguished by having one set of one color 7 and the other set of contrasting different color.

The game of course may be played by any desired set of rules, but in order to illustrate one way in which the game structure may be used, the following may be considered.

Two opponents may play the game, one at each end of the game board 60, and each player takes a group of the game pieces.

he game pieces may also be of any desired number, and in the present instance each player has twenty sevenv game pieces or men arranged as follows. One game piece which may be called a knight. Two game ieces 71 which may be termed guards. ach player is provided with six game pieces 73 which are known as rams, and each player has 18 of the smallest game pieces 74 which may be known as lancers.

In the playing of the game the knight pieces 70 are first placed within the citadel which is formed by the heavy lines 69 at the opposite ends of the board, and preferably upon the central space 61 on the horizontal line 69 of the first row of spaces. The guards 71 occupy the spaces 62 at opposite sides of the knight pieces 7 0, and the remaining s aces 61 and 62 at opposite sides of the guar s may be occupied by rams 73. In the second and third rows of spaces 61 and 62, the lancers 74 are placed upon each of the spaces. The players of the game are permitted alternate moves for advancing selected pieces, and the object of the game is to advance as many ieces into the opponents territory as possib e so that the territory inclosed lines 69, or the citadel, may be entered y pieces having values suflicient to block moves by the knight pieces 70.

The guards 71 may, by the rules of the game, be permitted a wide range of movement so as to make these game pieces 71 the most valuable in capturing the pieces of the opponent. The guards 71 may be permitted movement over the vertical lines 63, the horizontal lines 64 and also the diagonal lines 65 and 66 over the whole. field or board. Limitations on its movements may be made such as preventing the jumping of the guards 71 over a iec'e obstructing its line of motion when suc line extends along the rows of consecutively placed small spaces 61. Other limitations or privileges may be made in the rules of the game. The rams 73 may be given a slightly less latitude or field-movement, and may be subject to more restrictions than the game pieces 7 0 and 71. Its movements may also be modified b its location upon the large spaces 61 and the smaller spaces 62.

The small game pieces 74, known as the lancers, may be permitted to move only along the diagonal lines 65 and 66 except when they come to rest on the larger spaces 61 when the pieces 74 may be permitted to move forwardly and backwardly along the diagonal lines. It is thus apparent that a large number of variations may be made in the playin of the several different game pieces upon 51c different sized spaces 61 and 62, and the segregated fields 68 may also be made to influence the direction and lengths of the moves of the different game pieces.

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the structure and design of the game board and the various spaces and lines thereon and the number, shape and roportions of the various game pieces emp oyed, may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A game comprising a board having a plurality of spaces upon the face thereof, said spaces being connected by vertical horizontal and diagonal lines, a determine number of spaces being bounded by heavy vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines for sc regating a determined area, and a plura 'ty of game pieces of different game values adapted for movement over the lines and into the spaces.

2. A game comprising a board having a plurality of large and small spaces upon the face thereof arranged in horizontal and vertical rows, each alternate row starting with the edge rows being mixed large and small spaces and each intermediate row being small spaces, and a pluralit of lines connectin the spaces, a determined number of said es being visually distinguishable from others to segregate a determined number of said spaces at o' posite ends of the board, and a plurality 0 game pieces adapted for movement over the lines and into the spaces.

3. A. game comprising a board having a plurality of large and small spaces upon' the face thereof arranged in horizontal and vertical'rows, each alternate row starting with the edge rows being mixed large and small spaces and each intermediate row being small spaces, said board also having a plurality of lines connecting the spaces, a determined number of said small spaces being segregated at opposite ends of the board by heavy lines, and a plurality of game pieces having different game values adapted for movement over the lines and into the spaces.

4. A game comprising a board having a plurality of large and small spaces upon the face thereof, said s aces being arranged'in spaced vertical an horizontal rows, said board also having a plurality of ii ht and heavy horizontal, vertical and iagonal lines, said heavy lines being adapted to segregate a determined area and a determined number of spaces at opposite ends of the board, and a plurality of game pieces arranged in grou s for movement along the lines and into t e spaces.

5. A game comprising a board having a plurality of large and small spaces arranged in vertlcal and horizontal rows upon the face thereof and a plurality of light and heavy horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines connecting said spaces, said heavy lines being adapted to segregate a determined area upon the face of the board and at opposite ends thereof,-and a series of game pieces adapted for movement along said lines and into said spaces.

- LOUIS ESPITALLIER. 

